Draco Grows Up
by xpaintmebluex
Summary: Draco's POV. Draco first takes notice of Ginny during their scuffle in Umbridge's office. During the summer before his 6th year, he has a lot to contemplate as he comes into his own. Will he choose to follow his father's plans or strike his own path? This is written for my class on Fan Culture. Hope you like it.


This was it, thought Draco. Harry Potter was finally going to get exactly what he deserved.

Flanked by Crabbe and Goyle and several other members of the Inquisitorial Squad, Draco hastened his way to the headmaster's office. He smirked as he thought about the look on the Trio's faces, as they were caught red handed.

When they arrived at the office, Umbridge instructed Millicent Bullstrode to subdue Granger as she swiftly crossed the room to the fireplace. She wrenched Potter's head out of the fire by the hair and bent his head back as far as it would go as though she was going to slit his throat.

Draco leaned on the windowsill, smirking as he threw Harry's wand into the air. He looked on with great delight as Umbridge interrogated Harry. As he watched the scene, he heard a commotion outside and several other Slytherins entered. They had with them the two remaining Weasleys, Loony Lovegood, and most surprisingly Neville Longbottom. Draco smirked a bit when he noticed that all four of them had been gagged.

"Well, it looks as though Hogwarts will shortly be a Weasley-free zone, doesn't it?" Umbridge said. At this remark Draco's smirk turned into a nasty smile. Never in his wildest dreams did he think he'd be able to get rid of Potter and the Weasleys in one go.

Draco got so distracted by this thought that he almost missed Umbridge's next order.

"Draco—fetch Professor Snape." He stowed Harry's wand inside his robes and left the room throwing one last smirk in Harry's direction.

"You wanted to see me headmistress?"

Umbridge, smiling widely, addressed Snape "I would like another bottle of Veritaserum, as quick as you can, please."

Draco eyed Harry and his cohorts, and thought it odd that they seemed so calm considering the trouble they were in at that moment. He eyed the youngest Weasley girl, and noticed that despite the fact that she was currently restrained by a boy twice her size, her wand across the room, she was throwing him a look that very clearly said I will get you, and you will regret this. He chuckled a bit.

He turned back to the scene unfolding in the room in time to realize that Umbridge was upset with Snape. Apparently he was entirely out of Veritaserum.

Potter shouted some nonsense at Snape that Draco didn't quite understand. It must have something to do with the Order that his father was always talking about. Silly Potter, he actually believed that Snape was on their side.

Snape left the room and closed the door behind him with a snap. Umbridge seemed to be at a loss. Draco watched her intently, trying to discern what she was going to do in light of the fact that she could not loosen his tongue with Veritaserum.

She moved restlessly, and muttered to herself until it appeared that she had come to a decision. Draco pushed off the windowsill and leaned in to see what she was going to do.

"The Cruciatus Curse ought to loosen your tongue," said Umbridge quietly.

Draco hated Harry, and he was delighted with the idea of having him removed from his life forever. However, even he thought this was a bit too far. If he had been the only Slytherin in the room, he might have even tried to steer her away from the idea. Perhaps he could suggest sending out for some Veritaserum from his father. As it was, there was no way he could say anything in front of Crabbe or Goyle. They would surely report back to his father.

Hermione shrieked, and pleaded with her. "The minister wouldn't want you to break the law, Professor Umbridge!"

Draco's mind was racing, trying to figure out a way to handle the situation, but he felt powerless to do anything. He couldn't do anything that might show that he was weak or a Potter sympathizer in front of the Slytherins, and to question Umbridge was suicide for his career at Hogwarts. His father certainly wouldn't want to help him if he knew Draco had gone against Umbridge to protect Harry Potter.

As he was trying to think, Umbridge dropped another bomb. Draco was torn out of his thoughts by the sudden revelation, "Cornelius never knew I ordered the Dementors after Potter last summer, but he was delighted to be given the chance to expel him, all the same…"

Draco had known about the Dementor attack in Little Whinging, and had assumed that the Dementors had gone rogue and were at the command of the dark lord. His father had talked about the incident with such delight this summer, but never said whether he knew who was responsible.

Umbridge had already started to cast the unforgivable curse, when there was a sudden outburst from Hermione. Draco turned his attention to Granger, curious as to what she might say. He sneered a bit as she started to cry, but inwardly he was a bit relieved. Despite his father's plans for his future, Draco wasn't quite ready to be party to torture.

Everyone in the room's eyes were fixed on Granger. She told Umbridge how they were trying to make contact with Dumbledore.

"We wanted to tell him that it's r-ready!" choked Hermione. "The…the weapon."

Draco raised his eyebrows. His father would definitely want to hear about this. Granger was smart though, even in her distress, and wouldn't lead Umbridge to the weapon with him tagging along.

He suggested she take some members of the squad with her, but she declined saying, "I am a fully qualified Ministry official, Malfoy, do you really think I cannot manage two wandless teenagers alone?"

Umbridge left the tower with Harry and Hermione and put Draco in charge of watching the captives.

Once she had gone, Draco sunk down into a chair and tossed Harry's wand from one hand to the other. Ron started to make muffled grunting noises through his gag. Draco snickered, but was taken by surprise when the little Weasley girl slipped out of her captor's grip and deftly grabbed her wand from his cloak pocket. Before anyone could react she ripped off her gag and yelled "Expelliarmus."

Draco ducked behind the chair as his wand flew across the room. She wheeled on the other captors, releasing her brother, then Lovegood, and finally Longbottom. Draco tried to reach his wand but in the din he wasn't able to dodge a hex sent his way by the youngest Weasley. Suddenly his face was covered in great flapping things. He fell to the floor as he tried to get them off. He heard moans and thuds all around the room, and, by the time he had recovered, the four captives had escaped.

Though he hated to admit it, that Weasley girl was quick, and she had a mean bat bogey hex. He couldn't help himself admiring her just a bit for getting the jump on him. He'd have to watch out for her in future.


End file.
